| 1. |
- Kaptoge, S., et al.
(författare)
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World Health Organization cardiovascular disease risk charts: revised models to estimate risk in 21 global regions
- 2019
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Ingår i: Lancet Global Health. - : Elsevier BV. - 2214-109X. ; 7:10
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background To help adapt cardiovascular disease risk prediction approaches to low-income and middle-income countries, WHO has convened an effort to develop, evaluate, and illustrate revised risk models. Here, we report the derivation, validation, and illustration of the revised WHO cardiovascular disease risk prediction charts that have been adapted to the circumstances of 21 global regions. Methods In this model revision initiative, we derived 10-year risk prediction models for fatal and non-fatal cardiovascular disease (ie, myocardial infarction and stroke) using individual participant data from the Emerging Risk Factors Collaboration. Models included information on age, smoking status, systolic blood pressure, history of diabetes, and total cholesterol. For derivation, we included participants aged 40-80 years without a known baseline history of cardiovascular disease, who were followed up until the first myocardial infarction, fatal coronary heart disease, or stroke event. We recalibrated models using age-specific and sex-specific incidences and risk factor values available from 21 global regions. For external validation, we analysed individual participant data from studies distinct from those used in model derivation. We illustrated models by analysing data on a further 123 743 individuals from surveys in 79 countries collected with the WHO STEPwise Approach to Surveillance. Findings Our risk model derivation involved 376 177 individuals from 85 cohorts, and 19 333 incident cardiovascular events recorded during 10 years of follow-up. The derived risk prediction models discriminated well in external validation cohorts (19 cohorts, 1 096 061 individuals, 25 950 cardiovascular disease events), with Harrell's C indices ranging from 0.685 (95% CI 0 . 629-0 741) to 0.833 (0 . 783-0- 882). For a given risk factor profile, we found substantial variation across global regions in the estimated 10-year predicted risk. For example, estimated cardiovascular disease risk for a 60-year-old male smoker without diabetes and with systolic blood pressure of 140 mm Hg and total cholesterol of 5 mmol/L ranged from 11% in Andean Latin America to 30% in central Asia. When applied to data from 79 countries (mostly low-income and middle-income countries), the proportion of individuals aged 40-64 years estimated to be at greater than 20% risk ranged from less than 1% in Uganda to more than 16% in Egypt. Interpretation We have derived, calibrated, and validated new WHO risk prediction models to estimate cardiovascular disease risk in 21 Global Burden of Disease regions. The widespread use of these models could enhance the accuracy, practicability, and sustainability of efforts to reduce the burden of cardiovascular disease worldwide. Copyright (C) 2019 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd.
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| 2. |
- Hageman, S., et al.
(författare)
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SCORE2 risk prediction algorithms: new models to estimate 10-year risk of cardiovascular disease in Europe
- 2021
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Ingår i: European Heart Journal. - : Oxford University Press (OUP). - 0195-668X .- 1522-9645. ; 42:25, s. 2439-2454
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Aims The aim of this study was to develop, validate, and illustrate an updated prediction model (SCORE2) to estimate 10-year fatal and non-fatal cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk in individuals without previous CVD or diabetes aged 40-69 years in Europe. Methods and results We derived risk prediction models using individual-participant data from 45 cohorts in 13 countries (677 684 individuals, 30 121 CVD events). We used sex-specific and competing risk-adjusted models, including age, smoking status, systolic blood pressure, and total- and HDL-cholesterol. We defined four risk regions in Europe according to country-specific CVD mortality, recalibrating models to each region using expected incidences and risk factor distributions. Region-specific incidence was estimated using CVD mortality and incidence data on 10 776 466 individuals. For external validation, we analysed data from 25 additional cohorts in 15 European countries (1 133 181 individuals, 43 492 CVD events). After applying the derived risk prediction models to external validation cohorts, C-indices ranged from 0.67 (0.65-0.68) to 0.81 (0.76-0.86). Predicted CVD risk varied several-fold across European regions. For example, the estimated 10-year CVD risk for a 50-year-old smoker, with a systolic blood pressure of 140 mmHg, total cholesterol of 5.5 mmol/L, and HDL-cholesterol of 1.3 mmol/L, ranged from 5.9% for men in low- risk countries to 14.0% for men in very high-risk countries, and from 4.2% for women in low-risk countries to 13.7% for women in very high-risk countries. Conclusion SCORE2-a new algorithm derived, calibrated, and validated to predict 10-year risk of first-onset CVD in European populations-enhances the identification of individuals at higher risk of developing CVD across Europe.
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| 3. |
- Di Angelantonio, E., et al.
(författare)
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Glycated Hemoglobin Measurement and Prediction of Cardiovascular Disease
- 2014
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Ingår i: Jama-Journal of the American Medical Association. - : American Medical Association (AMA). - 0098-7484 .- 1538-3598. ; 311:12, s. 1225-1233
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- IMPORTANCE The value of measuring levels of glycated hemoglobin (HbA(1c)) for the prediction of first cardiovascular events is uncertain. OBJECTIVE To determine whether adding information on HbA(1c) values to conventional cardiovascular risk factors is associated with improvement in prediction of cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS Analysis of individual-participant data available from 73 prospective studies involving 294 998 participants without a known history of diabetes mellitus or CVD at the baseline assessment. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES Measures of risk discrimination for CVD outcomes (eg, C-index) and reclassification (eg, net reclassification improvement) of participants across predicted 10-year risk categories of low (<5%), intermediate (5% to <7.5%), and high (>= 7.5%) risk. RESULTS During a median follow-up of 9.9 (interquartile range, 7.6-13.2) years, 20 840 incident fatal and nonfatal CVD outcomes (13 237 coronary heart disease and 7603 stroke outcomes) were recorded. In analyses adjusted for several conventional cardiovascular risk factors, there was an approximately J-shaped association between HbA(1c) values and CVD risk. The association between HbA(1c) values and CVD risk changed only slightly after adjustment for total cholesterol and triglyceride concentrations or estimated glomerular filtration rate, but this association attenuated somewhat after adjustment for concentrations of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol and C-reactive protein. The C-index for a CVD risk prediction model containing conventional cardiovascular risk factors alone was 0.7434 (95% CI, 0.7350 to 0.7517). The addition of information on HbA(1c) was associated with a C-index change of 0.0018 (0.0003 to 0.0033) and a net reclassification improvement of 0.42 (-0.63 to 1.48) for the categories of predicted 10-year CVD risk. The improvement provided by HbA(1c) assessment in prediction of CVD risk was equal to or better than estimated improvements for measurement of fasting, random, or postload plasma glucose levels. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE In a study of individuals without known CVD or diabetes, additional assessment of HbA(1c) values in the context of CVD risk assessment provided little incremental benefit for prediction of CVD risk.
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| 4. |
- Pennells, Lisa, et al.
(författare)
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Equalization of four cardiovascular risk algorithms after systematic recalibration : individual-participant meta-analysis of 86 prospective studies
- 2019
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Ingår i: European Heart Journal. - : Oxford University Press (OUP). - 0195-668X .- 1522-9645. ; 40:7, s. 621-
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Aims: There is debate about the optimum algorithm for cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk estimation. We conducted head-to-head comparisons of four algorithms recommended by primary prevention guidelines, before and after ‘recalibration’, a method that adapts risk algorithms to take account of differences in the risk characteristics of the populations being studied.Methods and results: Using individual-participant data on 360 737 participants without CVD at baseline in 86 prospective studies from 22 countries, we compared the Framingham risk score (FRS), Systematic COronary Risk Evaluation (SCORE), pooled cohort equations (PCE), and Reynolds risk score (RRS). We calculated measures of risk discrimination and calibration, and modelled clinical implications of initiating statin therapy in people judged to be at ‘high’ 10 year CVD risk. Original risk algorithms were recalibrated using the risk factor profile and CVD incidence of target populations. The four algorithms had similar risk discrimination. Before recalibration, FRS, SCORE, and PCE over-predicted CVD risk on average by 10%, 52%, and 41%, respectively, whereas RRS under-predicted by 10%. Original versions of algorithms classified 29–39% of individuals aged ≥40 years as high risk. By contrast, recalibration reduced this proportion to 22–24% for every algorithm. We estimated that to prevent one CVD event, it would be necessary to initiate statin therapy in 44–51 such individuals using original algorithms, in contrast to 37–39 individuals with recalibrated algorithms.Conclusion: Before recalibration, the clinical performance of four widely used CVD risk algorithms varied substantially. By contrast, simple recalibration nearly equalized their performance and improved modelled targeting of preventive action to clinical need.
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| 5. |
- den Ruijter, H. M., et al.
(författare)
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Common carotid intima-media thickness does not add to Framingham risk score in individuals with diabetes mellitus: the USE-IMT initiative
- 2013
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Ingår i: Diabetologia. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1432-0428 .- 0012-186X. ; 56:7, s. 1494-1502
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The aim of this work was to investigate whether measurement of the mean common carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) improves cardiovascular risk prediction in individuals with diabetes. We performed a subanalysis among 4,220 individuals with diabetes in a large ongoing individual participant data meta-analysis involving 56,194 subjects from 17 population-based cohorts worldwide. We first refitted the risk factors of the Framingham heart risk score on the individuals without previous cardiovascular disease (baseline model) and then expanded this model with the mean common CIMT (CIMT model). The absolute 10 year risk for developing a myocardial infarction or stroke was estimated from both models. In individuals with diabetes we compared discrimination and calibration of the two models. Reclassification of individuals with diabetes was based on allocation to another cardiovascular risk category when mean common CIMT was added. During a median follow-up of 8.7 years, 684 first-time cardiovascular events occurred among the population with diabetes. The C statistic was 0.67 for the Framingham model and 0.68 for the CIMT model. The absolute 10 year risk for developing a myocardial infarction or stroke was 16% in both models. There was no net reclassification improvement with the addition of mean common CIMT (1.7%; 95% CI -1.8, 3.8). There were no differences in the results between men and women. There is no improvement in risk prediction in individuals with diabetes when measurement of the mean common CIMT is added to the Framingham risk score. Therefore, this measurement is not recommended for improving individual cardiovascular risk stratification in individuals with diabetes.
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| 6. |
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| 7. |
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| 8. |
- Pischon, T., et al.
(författare)
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General and Abdominal Adiposity and Risk of Death in Europe
- 2008
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Ingår i: New England Journal of Medicine. - 0028-4793. ; 359:20, s. 2105-2120
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- BACKGROUND Previous studies have relied predominantly on the body-mass index (BMI, the weight in kilograms divided by the square of the height in meters) to assess the association of adiposity with the risk of death, but few have examined whether the distribution of body fat contributes to the prediction of death. METHODS We examined the association of BMI, waist circumference, and waist-to-hip ratio with the risk of death among 359,387 participants from nine countries in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC). We used a Cox regression analysis, with age as the time variable, and stratified the models according to study center and age at recruitment, with further adjustment for educational level, smoking status, alcohol consumption, physical activity, and height. RESULTS During a mean follow-up of 9.7 years, 14,723 participants died. The lowest risks of death related to BMI were observed at a BMI of 25.3 for men and 24.3 for women. After adjustment for BMI, waist circumference and waist-to-hip ratio were strongly associated with the risk of death. Relative risks among men and women in the highest quintile of waist circumference were 2.05 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.80 to 2.33) and 1.78 (95% CI, 1.56 to 2.04), respectively, and in the highest quintile of waist-to-hip ratio, the relative risks were 1.68 (95% CI, 1.53 to 1.84) and 1.51 (95% CI, 1.37 to 1.66), respectively. BMI remained significantly associated with the risk of death in models that included waist circumference or waist-to-hip ratio (P<0.001). CONCLUSIONS These data suggest that both general adiposity and abdominal adiposity are associated with the risk of death and support the use of waist circumference or waist-tohip ratio in addition to BMI in assessing the risk of death.
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| 9. |
- Dam, Veerle, et al.
(författare)
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Association of menopausal characteristics and risk of coronary heart disease : A pan-European case-cohort analysis
- 2019
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Ingår i: International Journal of Epidemiology. - : Oxford University Press. - 0300-5771 .- 1464-3685. ; 48:4, s. 1275-1285
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: Earlier age at menopause has been associated with increased risk of coronary heart disease (CHD), but the shape of association and role of established cardiovascular risk factors remain unclear. Therefore, we examined the associations between menopausal characteristics and CHD risk; the shape of the association between age at menopause and CHD risk; and the extent to which these associations are explained by established cardiovascular risk factors.Methods: We used data from EPIC-CVD, a case-cohort study, which includes data from 23 centres from 10 European countries. We included only women, of whom 10 880 comprise the randomly selected sub-cohort, supplemented with 4522 cases outside the sub-cohort. We conducted Prentice-weighted Cox proportional hazards regressions with age as the underlying time scale, stratified by country and adjusted for relevant confounders.Results: After confounder and intermediate adjustment, post-menopausal women were not at higher CHD risk compared with pre-menopausal women. Among post-menopausal women, earlier menopause was linearly associated with higher CHD risk [HRconfounder and intermediate adjusted per-year decrease = 1.02, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.01-1.03, p = 0.001]. Women with a surgical menopause were at higher risk of CHD compared with those with natural menopause (HRconfounder-adjusted = 1.25, 95% CI = 1.10-1.42, p < 0.001), but this attenuated after additional adjustment for age at menopause and intermediates (HR = 1.12, 95% CI = 0.96-1.29, p = 0.15). A proportion of the association was explained by cardiovascular risk factors.Conclusions: Earlier and surgical menopause were associated with higher CHD risk. These associations could partially be explained by differences in conventional cardiovascular risk factors. These women might benefit from close monitoring of cardiovascular risk factors and disease.
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| 10. |
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| 11. |
- Lu, C. W., et al.
(författare)
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Heart Failure and Patient-Reported Outcomes in Adults With Congenital Heart Disease from 15 Countries
- 2022
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Ingår i: Journal of the American Heart Association. - : Ovid Technologies (Wolters Kluwer Health). - 2047-9980. ; 11:9
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- BACKGROUND: Heart failure (HF) is the leading cause of mortality and associated with significant morbidity in adults with congenital heart disease. We sought to assess the association between HF and patient-report outcomes in adults with congenital heart disease. METHODS AND RESULTS: As part of the APPROACH-IS (Assessment of Patterns of Patient-Reported Outcomes in Adults with Congenital Heart disease-International Study), we collected data on HF status and patient-reported outcomes in 3959 patients from 15 countries across 5 continents. Patient-report outcomes were: perceived health status (12-item Short Form Health Survey), quality of life (Linear Analogue Scale and Satisfaction with Life Scale), sense of coherence-13, psychological distress (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale), and illness perception (Brief Illness Perception Questionnaire). In this sample, 137 (3.5%) had HF at the time of investigation, 298 (7.5%) had a history of HF, and 3524 (89.0%) had no current or past episode of HF. Patients with current or past HF were older and had a higher prevalence of complex congenital heart disease, arrhythmias, implantable cardioverter-defibrillators, other clinical comorbidities, and mood disorders than those who never had HF. Patients with HF had worse physical functioning, mental functioning, quality of life, satisfaction with life, sense of coherence, depressive symptoms, and illness perception scores. Magnitudes of differences were large for physical functioning and illness perception and moderate for mental functioning, quality of life, and depressive symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: HF in adults with congenital heart disease is associated with poorer patient-reported outcomes, with large effect sizes for physical functioning and illness perception.
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| 12. |
- Svanstrom, C. M. B., et al.
(författare)
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Device Performance of APFO-3/PCBM Solar Cells with Controlled Morphology
- 2009
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Ingår i: Advanced Materials. - Weinheim : Wiley. - 0935-9648 .- 1521-4095. ; 21:43, s. 4398-
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Polymer/fullerene solar cells with three different device structures: A) diffuse bilayer, B) spontaneously formed multilayer and C) vertically homogeneous thin films, are fabricated. The photocurrent/voltage performance is compared and it is found that the self-stratified structure (B) yields the highest energy conversion efficiency.
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| 13. |
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| 14. |
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| 15. |
- Lassale, Camille, et al.
(författare)
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Diet Quality Scores and Prediction of All-Cause, Cardiovascular and Cancer Mortality in a Pan-European Cohort Study
- 2016
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Ingår i: PLOS ONE. - : Public Library of Science (PLoS). - 1932-6203. ; 11:7
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Scores of overall diet quality have received increasing attention in relation to disease aetiology; however, their value in risk prediction has been little examined. The objective was to assess and compare the association and predictive performance of 10 diet quality scores on 10-year risk of all-cause, CVD and cancer mortality in 451,256 healthy participants to the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition, followed-up for a median of 12.8y. All dietary scores studied showed significant inverse associations with all outcomes. The range of HRs (95% CI) in the top vs. lowest quartile of dietary scores in a composite model including non-invasive factors (age, sex, smoking, body mass index, education, physical activity and study centre) was 0.75 (0.72-0.79) to 0.88 (0.84-0.92) for all-cause, 0.76 (0.69-0.83) to 0.84 (0.76-0.92) for CVD and 0.78 (0.73-0.83) to 0.91 (0.85-0.97) for cancer mortality. Models with dietary scores alone showed low discrimination, but composite models also including age, sex and other non-invasive factors showed good discrimination and calibration, which varied little between different diet scores examined. Mean C-statistic of full models was 0.73, 0.80 and 0.71 for all-cause, CVD and cancer mortality. Dietary scores have poor predictive performance for 10-year mortality risk when used in isolation but display good predictive ability in combination with other non-invasive common risk factors.
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| 16. |
- Lassale, Camille, et al.
(författare)
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Separate and combined associations of obesity and metabolic health with coronary heart disease : a pan-European case-cohort analysis
- 2018
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Ingår i: European Heart Journal. - : Oxford University Press. - 0195-668X .- 1522-9645. ; 39:5, s. 397-406
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Aims: The hypothesis of 'metabolically healthy obesity' implies that, in the absence of metabolic dysfunction, individuals with excess adiposity are not at greater cardiovascular risk. We tested this hypothesis in a large pan-European prospective study.Methods and results: We conducted a case-cohort analysis in the 520 000-person European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition study ('EPIC-CVD'). During a median follow-up of 12.2 years, we recorded 7637 incident coronary heart disease (CHD) cases. Using cut-offs recommended by guidelines, we defined obesity and overweight using body mass index (BMI), and metabolic dysfunction ('unhealthy') as ≥ 3 of elevated blood pressure, hypertriglyceridaemia, low HDL-cholesterol, hyperglycaemia, and elevated waist circumference. We calculated hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) within each country using Prentice-weighted Cox proportional hazard regressions, accounting for age, sex, centre, education, smoking, diet, and physical activity. Compared with metabolically healthy normal weight people (reference), HRs were 2.15 (95% CI: 1.79; 2.57) for unhealthy normal weight, 2.33 (1.97; 2.76) for unhealthy overweight, and 2.54 (2.21; 2.92) for unhealthy obese people. Compared with the reference group, HRs were 1.26 (1.14; 1.40) and 1.28 (1.03; 1.58) for metabolically healthy overweight and obese people, respectively. These results were robust to various sensitivity analyses.Conclusion: Irrespective of BMI, metabolically unhealthy individuals had higher CHD risk than their healthy counterparts. Conversely, irrespective of metabolic health, overweight and obese people had higher CHD risk than lean people. These findings challenge the concept of 'metabolically healthy obesity', encouraging population-wide strategies to tackle obesity.
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| 17. |
- Peters, Sanne Ae, et al.
(författare)
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Parity, breastfeeding and risk of coronary heart disease: A pan-European case-cohort study.
- 2016
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Ingår i: European journal of preventive cardiology. - : Oxford University Press (OUP). - 2047-4881 .- 2047-4873. ; 23:16, s. 1755-1765
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- There is uncertainty about the direction and magnitude of the associations between parity, breastfeeding and the risk of coronary heart disease (CHD). We examined the separate and combined associations of parity and breastfeeding practices with the incidence of CHD later in life among women in a large, pan-European cohort study.
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| 18. |
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| 19. |
- Schuermans, A., et al.
(författare)
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Exercise in patients with repaired tetralogy of Fallot: a systematic review and meta-analysis
- 2023
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Ingår i: Heart. - : BMJ. - 1355-6037 .- 1468-201X. ; 109:13, s. 984-991
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Forskningsöversikt (refereegranskat)abstract
- ObjectiveChildren and adults with repaired tetralogy of Fallot (rTOF) have an impaired exercise capacity, a less active lifestyle and an increased long-term risk of adverse outcomes compared with healthy peers. This study aimed to summarise the current evidence for the effectiveness and safety of exercise training interventions in patients with rTOF. MethodsPubMed/MEDLINE, EMBASE, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), Web of Science, Scopus and reference lists of relevant articles were searched for prospective studies published by November 2021. Random-effects meta-analysis and descriptive synthesis were performed to assess the effectiveness and safety of exercise training in patients with rTOF. ResultsOf the 9677 citations identified, 12 articles were included that reported on 10 unique studies and covered 208 patients with rTOF (range of mean/median age: 7.4-43.3 years). All studies implemented 2 to 7 aerobic or respiratory training sessions per week with durations ranging from 6 to 26 weeks. Meta-analysis of the included randomised controlled trials showed that exercise training was associated with a significant improvement in peak VO2 (pooled mean difference: +3.1 mL/min/kg; 95% CI: 0.76 to 5.36 mL/min/kg, p=0.019). Cardiac imaging studies revealed no subclinical adverse remodelling after the exercise interventions. No serious adverse events including arrhythmias were reported in these studies. ConclusionCurrent evidence suggests that exercise training can improve exercise capacity in patients with rTOF with a low risk for adverse events. Exercise prescription may be a safe and effective tool to help improving outcomes in patients with rTOF. PROSPERO registration numberCRD42021292809.
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| 20. |
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| 21. |
- Acuña Mora, Mariela, 1990, et al.
(författare)
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Gothenburg Empowerment Scale (GES): psychometric properties and measurement invariance in adults with congenital heart disease from Belgium, Norway and South Korea
- 2022
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Ingår i: Health and Quality of Life Outcomes. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1477-7525. ; 20:1
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background Patient empowerment is associated with improvements in different patient-reported and clinical outcomes. However, despite being widely researched, high quality and theoretically substantiated disease-generic measures of patient empowerment are lacking. The few good instruments that are available have not reported important psychometric properties, including measurement invariance. The aim of this study was to assess the psychometric properties of the 15-item Gothenburg Empowerment Scale (GES), with a particular focus on measurement invariance of the GES across individuals from three countries. Methods Adults with congenital heart disease from Belgium, Norway and South Korea completed the GES and other patient-reported outcomes as part of an international, cross-sectional, descriptive study called APPROACH-IS II. The scale's content (missing data) and factorial validity (confirmatory factor analyses), measurement invariance (multi-group confirmatory factor analyses), responsiveness (floor and ceiling effects) and reliability (internal consistency) were assessed. Results Content validity, responsiveness and reliability were confirmed. Nonetheless, metric but not scalar measurement invariance was supported when including the three countries, possibly because the scale performed differently in the sample from South Korea. A second set of analyses supported partial scalar invariance for a sample that was limited to Norway and Belgium. Conclusion Our study offers preliminary evidence that GES is a valid and reliable measure of patient empowerment in adults with congenital heart disease. However, cross-country comparisons must be made with caution, given the scale did not perform equivalently across the three countries.
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| 22. |
- Blomgren, J, et al.
(författare)
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European Nuclear Education Network
- 2004
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Ingår i: International Seminar "Nuclear Power Engineering: Trust, Education, Development".
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Konferensbidrag (populärvet., debatt m.m.)
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| 23. |
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| 24. |
- de Geest, S, et al.
(författare)
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Undertaking nursing interventions throughout Europe : Research activities of the working group on cardiovascular nursing of the European Society of cardiology
- 2002
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Ingår i: European Journal of Cardiovascular Nursing. - 1474-5151 .- 1873-1953. ; 1:3, s. 167-169
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The working Group on Cardiovascular Nursing is actively involved in international research though the UNITE (Undertaking Nursing Research Throughout Europe) research program, a new initiative for the WGCN. A group of cardiovascular nursing researchers from a number of different European countries committed themselves to a research group that is designed to promulgate international research in the field of cardiac nursing. The first study was a survey on coronary risk factors in a cohort of cardiac nurses from Europe. At this moment four additional studies are planned aimed at the development of the nursing profession in Europe and improvement of care for patients with chronic cardiac disease. If, as hoped, these studies prove to be successful, it will provide the seed for other international collaborations of this type.
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| 25. |
- Den Ruijter, Hester M., et al.
(författare)
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Common Carotid Intima-Media Thickness Measurements in Cardiovascular Risk Prediction A Meta-analysis
- 2012
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Ingår i: JAMA: The Journal of the American Medical Association. - : American Medical Association (AMA). - 1538-3598. ; 308:8, s. 796-803
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Context The evidence that measurement of the common carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) improves the risk scores in prediction of the absolute risk of cardiovascular events is inconsistent. Objective To determine whether common CIMT has added value in 10-year risk prediction of first-time myocardial infarctions or strokes, above that of the Framingham Risk Score. Data Sources Relevant studies were identified through literature searches of databases (PubMed from 1950 to June 2012 and EMBASE from 1980 to June 2012) and expert opinion. Study Selection Studies were included if participants were drawn from the general population, common CIMT was measured at baseline, and individuals were followed up for first-time myocardial infarction or stroke. Data Extraction Individual data were combined into 1 data set and an individual participant data meta-analysis was performed on individuals without existing cardiovascular disease. Results We included 14 population-based cohorts contributing data for 45 828 individuals. During a median follow-up of 11 years, 4007 first-time myocardial infarctions or strokes occurred. We first refitted the risk factors of the Framingham Risk Score and then extended the model with common CIMT measurements to estimate the absolute 10-year risks to develop a first-time myocardial infarction or stroke in both models. The C statistic of both models was similar (0.757; 95% CI, 0.749-0.764; and 0.759; 95% CI, 0.752-0.766). The net reclassification improvement with the addition of common CIMT was small (0.8%; 95% CI, 0.1%-1.6%). In those at intermediate risk, the net reclassification improvement was 3.6% in all individuals (95% CI, 2.7%-4.6%) and no differences between men and women. Conclusion The addition of common CIMT measurements to the Framingham Risk Score was associated with small improvement in 10-year risk prediction of first-time myocardial infarction or stroke, but this improvement is unlikely to be of clinical importance. JAMA. 2012;308(8):796-803 www.jama.com
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| 26. |
- Engelfriet, P, et al.
(författare)
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Adherence to guidelines in the clinical care for adults with congenital heart disease: The Euro Heart Survey on adult congenital heart disease
- 2006
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Ingår i: European Heart Journal. - : Oxford University Press (OUP). - 1522-9645 .- 0195-668X. ; 27:6, s. 737-745
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Aims To investigate the role of guidelines in structuring the clinical care for adult patients with congenital heart disease (CHD), and to assess adherence to the guidelines in Europe. Methods and results A selected number of current guidelines were chosen pertaining to operative procedures, investigations, and the use of medication ('interventions'). The source for this analysis was the database of the Euro Heart Survey on adult CHD, which contains retrospectively collected data on 4110 patients followed-up for a median of 5.1 years. For each guideline investigated, patients were selected from the database for whom the particular guideline was relevant. The selected cases were classified according to two criteria: was there an indication for the particular intervention and did the intervention take place? In this manner, cases of 'undue treatment' and 'insufficient treatment' were identified. Adherence to guidelines was found to be good in the case of operative procedures and prophylactic drug treatment. However, regarding diagnostic procedures there had been adherence to guidelines in only slightly more than half of the cases. Conclusion Guidelines have an important role in the actual clinical care of adults with CHD. However, large outcome studies are needed to develop more precise guidelines.
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| 27. |
- Engelfriet, P, et al.
(författare)
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The spectrum of adult congenital heart disease in Europe: morbidity and mortality in a 5 year follow-up period - The Euro Heart Survey on adult congenital heart disease
- 2005
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Ingår i: European Heart Journal. - : Oxford University Press (OUP). - 1522-9645 .- 0195-668X. ; 26:21, s. 2325-2333
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Aims To describe clinical and demographic characteristics at baseline of a European cohort of adults with congenital heart disease (CHD) and to assess mortality and morbidity in a 5 year follow-up period. Methods and results Data collected as part of the Euro Heart Survey on adult CHD was analysed. This entailed information transcribed from the files of 4110 patients diagnosed with one of eight congenital heart conditions ('defects'), who consecutively visited the outpatient clinics of one of the participating centres in 1998. The patients were included retrospectively and followed until the end of 2003 for a median follow-up of 5.1 years. Notwithstanding their overall relatively good functional class and low mortality over the follow-up period, a considerable proportion of the patients had a history of endocarditis, arrhythmias, or vascular events. There were major differences between the eight defects, both in morbidity and regarding specific characteristics. Outcomes were worst in cyanotic defects and in the Fontan circulation, but a considerable proportion of the other patients also suffer from cardiac symptoms. In particular, arrhythmias are common. Conclusion The spectrum of adult CHD in Europe emerging from this survey is one of a predominantly young population with substantial morbidity but relatively low mortality in a 5 year period.
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| 28. |
- Geersing, G. J., et al.
(författare)
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Exclusion of deep vein thrombosis using the Wells rule in clinically important subgroups: individual patient data meta-analysis
- 2014
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Ingår i: BMJ: British Medical Journal. - : BMJ. - 1756-1833. ; 348, s. 1340-1340
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Objective To assess the accuracy of the Wells rule for excluding deep vein thrombosis and whether this accuracy applies to different subgroups of patients. Design Meta-analysis of individual patient data. Data sources Authors of 13 studies (n=10 002) provided their datasets, and these individual patient data were merged into one dataset. Eligibility criteria Studies were eligible if they enrolled consecutive outpatients with suspected deep vein thrombosis, scored all variables of the Wells rule, and performed an appropriate reference standard. Main outcome measures Multilevel logistic regression models, including an interaction term for each subgroup, were used to estimate differences in predicted probabilities of deep vein thrombosis by the Wells rule. In addition, D-dimer testing was added to assess differences in the ability to exclude deep vein thrombosis using an unlikely score on the Wells rule combined with a negative D-dimer test result. Results Overall, increasing scores on the Wells rule were associated with an increasing probability of having deep vein thrombosis. Estimated probabilities were almost twofold higher in patients with cancer, in patients with suspected recurrent events, and (to a lesser extent) in males. An unlikely score on the Wells rule (<= 1) combined with a negative D-dimer test result was associated with an extremely low probability of deep vein thrombosis (1.2%, 95% confidence interval 0.7% to 1.8%). This combination occurred in 29% (95% confidence interval 20% to 40%) of patients. These findings were consistent in subgroups defined by type of D-dimer assay (quantitative or qualitative), sex, and care setting (primary or hospital care). For patients with cancer, the combination of an unlikely score on the Wells rule and a negative D-dimer test result occurred in only 9% of patients and was associated with a 2.2% probability of deep vein thrombosis being present. In patients with suspected recurrent events, only the modified Wells rule (adding one point for the previous event) is safe. Conclusion Combined with a negative D-dimer test result (both quantitative and qualitative), deep vein thrombosis can be excluded in patients with an unlikely score on the Wells rule. This finding is true for both sexes, as well as for patients presenting in primary and hospital care. In patients with cancer, the combination is neither safe nor efficient. For patients with suspected recurrent disease, one extra point should be added to the rule to enable a safe exclusion.
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| 29. |
- Jaarsma, T, et al.
(författare)
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Heart failure management programmes in Europé
- 2006
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Ingår i: European Journal of Cardiovascular Nursing. - : Oxford University Press (OUP). - 1474-5151 .- 1873-1953. ; 5:3, s. 197-205
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: The ESC guidelines recommend that an organised system of specialist heart failure (HF) care should be established to improve outcomes of HF patients. The aim of this study was therefore to identify the number and the content of HF management programmes in Europe. Method: A two-phase descriptive study was conducted: an initial screening to identify the existence of HF management programmes, and a survey to describe the content in countries where at least 30% of the hospitals had a programme. Results: Of the 43 European countries approached, 26 (60%) estimated the percentage of HF management programmes. Seven countries reported that they had such programmes in more than 30% of their hospitals. Of the 673 hospitals responding to the questionnaire, 426 (63%) had a HF management programme. Half of the programmes (n = 205) were located in an outpatient clinic. In the UK a combination of hospital and home-based programmes was common (75%). The most programmes included physical examination, telephone consultation, patient education, drug titration and diagnostic testing. Most (89%) programmes involved nurses and physicians. Multi-disciplinary teams were active in 56% of the HF programmes. The most prominent differences between the 7 countries were the degree of collaboration with home care and GP's, the role in palliative care and the funding. Conclusion: Only a few European countries have a large number of organised programmes for HF care and follow up. To improve outcomes of HF patients throughout Europe more effort should be taken to increase the number of these programmes in all countries. © 2006 European Society of Cardiology.
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| 30. |
- Kayhanian, Hamzeh, et al.
(författare)
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Homopolymer switches mediate adaptive mutability in mismatch repair-deficient colorectal cancer
- 2024
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Ingår i: Nature Genetics. - 1061-4036. ; 56:7, s. 1420 -1433
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Mismatch repair (MMR)-deficient cancer evolves through the stepwise erosion of coding homopolymers in target genes. Curiously, the MMR genes MutS homolog 6 (MSH6) and MutS homolog 3 (MSH3) also contain coding homopolymers, and these are frequent mutational targets in MMR-deficient cancers. The impact of incremental MMR mutations on MMR-deficient cancer evolution is unknown. Here we show that microsatellite instability modulates DNA repair by toggling hypermutable mononucleotide homopolymer runs in MSH6 and MSH3 through stochastic frameshift switching. Spontaneous mutation and reversion modulate subclonal mutation rate, mutation bias and HLA and neoantigen diversity. Patient-derived organoids corroborate these observations and show that MMR homopolymer sequences drift back into reading frame in the absence of immune selection, suggesting a fitness cost of elevated mutation rates. Combined experimental and simulation studies demonstrate that subclonal immune selection favors incremental MMR mutations. Overall, our data demonstrate that MMR-deficient colorectal cancers fuel intratumor heterogeneity by adapting subclonal mutation rate and diversity to immune selection.
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| 31. |
- Lenzen, M., et al.
(författare)
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Pharmacological treatment and perceived health status during 1-year follow up in patients diagnosed with coronary artery disease, but ineligible for revascularization. Results from the Euro Heart Survey on Coronary Revascularization
- 2006
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Ingår i: European Journal of Cardiovascular Nursing. - : Oxford University Press (OUP). - 1474-5151 .- 1873-1953. ; 5:2, s. 115-121
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: It has been recognized that a clinically significant portion of patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) continue to experience anginal and other related symptoms that are refractory to the combination of medical therapy and revascularization. The Euro Heart Survey on Revascularization (EHSCR) provided an opportunity to assess pharmacological treatment and outcome in patients with proven CAD who were ineligible for revascularization. Methods: We performed a secondary analysis of EHS-CR data. After excluding patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction and those in whom revascularization was not indicated, 4409 patients remained in the analyses. We selected two groups: (1) patients in whom revascularization was the preferred treatment option (n = 3777, 86%), and (2) patients who were considered ineligible for revascularization (n = 632, 14%). Results: Patient ineligible for revascularization had a worse risk profile, more often had a total occlusion (59% vs. 37%, p < 0.001), were treated more often with ACE-inhibitors (65% vs. 55%, p < 0.001) but less likely with aspirin (83% vs. 88%, p < 0.001). Overall, they had higher case-fatality at 1-year (7.0% vs. 3.7%, p < 0.001). Regarding self-perceived health status, measured via the EuroQol 5D (EQ-5D) questionnaire, these same patients reported more problems on all dimensions of the EQ-5D. Furthermore, in the revascularization group we observed an increase between discharge and 1-year follow up (utility score from 0.85 to 1.00) whereas patients ineligible for revascularization did not improve over time (utility score remained 0.80). Conclusion: In this large cohort of European patients with CAD, those considered ineligible for revascularization had more co-morbidities and risk factors, and scored worse on self-perceived health status as compared to revascularized patients in the revascularization group. With the exception of ACE-inhibitors and aspirin, there were no major differences regarding drug treatment between the two groups. Given these clinically significant observations, there appears to be a role for nurse-led, multidisciplinary, rehabilitation teams that target clinically vulnerable patients whose symptoms remain refractory to standard medical care. © 2006 European Society of Cardiology.
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| 32. |
- Liu, Aihua, et al.
(författare)
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Changing epidemiology of congenital heart disease: effect on outcomes and quality of care in adults.
- 2023
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Ingår i: Nature reviews. Cardiology. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1759-5010 .- 1759-5002. ; 20:2, s. 126-137
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Forskningsöversikt (refereegranskat)abstract
- The epidemiology of congenital heart disease (CHD) has changed in the past 50 years as a result of an increase in the prevalence and survival rate of CHD. In particular, mortality in patients with CHD has changed dramatically since the latter half of the twentieth century as a result of more timely diagnosis and the development of interventions for CHD that have prolonged life. As patients with CHD age, the disease burden shifts away from the heart and towards acquired cardiovascular and systemic complications. The societal costs of CHD are high, not just in terms of health-care utilization but also with regards to quality of life. Lifespan disease trajectories for populations with a high disease burden that is measured over prolonged time periods are becoming increasingly important to define long-term outcomes that can be improved. Quality improvement initiatives, including advanced physician training for adult CHD in the past 10 years, have begun to improve disease outcomes. As we seek to transform lifespan into healthspan, research efforts need to incorporate big data to allow high-value, patient-centred and artificial intelligence-enabled delivery of care. Such efforts will facilitate improved access to health care in remote areas and inform the horizontal integration of services needed to manage CHD for the prolonged duration of survival among adult patients.
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| 33. |
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| 34. |
- Moons, Philip, 1968, et al.
(författare)
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Placing patient-reported outcomes at the centre of cardiovascular clinical practice: implications for quality of care and management A statement of the ESC Association of Cardiovascular Nursing and Allied Professions (ACNAP), the Association for Acute CardioVascular Care (ACVC), European Association of Percutaneous Cardiovascular Interventions (EAPCI), European Association of Preventive Cardiology (EAPC), Heart Failure Association (HFA), European Heart Rhythm Association (EHRA), European Association of Cardiovascular Imaging (EACVI), ESC Regulatory Affairs Committee, ESC Advocacy Committee, ESC Digital Health Committee, ESC Education Committee, and the ESC Patient Forum
- 2023
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Ingår i: European Heart Journal. - : OXFORD UNIV PRESS. - 0195-668X .- 1522-9645.
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Patient-reported outcomes (PROs) provide important insights into patients' own perspectives about their health and medical condition, and there is evidence that their use can lead to improvements in the quality of care and to better-informed clinical decisions. Their application in cardiovascular populations has grown over the past decades. This statement describes what PROs are, and it provides an inventory of disease-specific and domain-specific PROs that have been developed for cardiovascular populations. International standards and quality indices have been published, which can guide the selection of PROs for clinical practice and in clinical trials and research; patients as well as experts in psychometrics should be involved in choosing which are most appropriate. Collaborations are needed to define criteria for using PROs to guide regulatory decisions, and the utility of PROs for comparing and monitoring the quality of care and for allocating resources should be evaluated. New sources for recording PROs include wearable digital health devices, medical registries, and electronic health record. Advice is given for the optimal use of PROs in shared clinical decision-making in cardiovascular medicine, and concerning future directions for their wider application.
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| 35. |
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| 36. |
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| 37. |
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| 38. |
- Sluman, Maayke A., et al.
(författare)
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Education as important predictor for successful employment in adults with congenital heart disease worldwide
- 2019
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Ingår i: Congenital Heart Disease. - : Computers, Materials and Continua (Tech Science Press). - 1747-079X .- 1747-0803. ; 14:3, s. 362-371
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- BackgroundConflicting results have been reported regarding employment status and work ability in adults with congenital heart disease (CHD). Since this is an important determinant for quality of life, we assessed this in a large international adult CHD cohort.MethodsData from 4028 adults with CHD (53% women) from 15 different countries were collected by a uniform survey in the cross-sectional APPROACH International Study. Predictors for employment and work limitations were studied using general linear mixed models.ResultsMedian age was 32 years (IQR 25-42) and 94% of patients had at least a high school degree. Overall employment rate was 69%, but varied substantially among countries. Higher education (OR 1.99-3.69) and having a partner (OR 1.72) were associated with more employment; female sex (OR 0.66, worse NYHA functional class (OR 0.67-0.13), and a history of congestive heart failure (OR 0.74) were associated with less employment. Limitations at work were reported in 34% and were associated with female sex (OR 1.36), increasing age (OR 1.03 per year), more severe CHD (OR 1.31-2.10), and a history of congestive heart failure (OR 1.57) or mental disorders (OR 2.26). Only a university degree was associated with fewer limitations at work (OR 0.62).ConclusionsThere are genuine differences in the impact of CHD on employment status in different countries. Although the majority of adult CHD patients are employed, limitations at work are common. Education appears to be the main predictor for successful employment and should therefore be encouraged in patients with CHD.
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| 39. |
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| 40. |
- Smith, Todd, et al.
(författare)
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Comparison of prognostic models to predict the occurrence of colorectal cancer in asymptomatic individuals : a systematic literature review and external validation in the EPIC and UK Biobank prospective cohort studies
- 2019
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Ingår i: Gut. - : BMJ Publishing Group Ltd. - 0017-5749 .- 1468-3288. ; 68, s. 672-683
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- OBJECTIVE: To systematically identify and validate published colorectal cancer risk prediction models that do not require invasive testing in two large population-based prospective cohorts.DESIGN: Models were identified through an update of a published systematic review and validated in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC) and the UK Biobank. The performance of the models to predict the occurrence of colorectal cancer within 5 or 10 years after study enrolment was assessed by discrimination (C-statistic) and calibration (plots of observed vs predicted probability).RESULTS: The systematic review and its update identified 16 models from 8 publications (8 colorectal, 5 colon and 3 rectal). The number of participants included in each model validation ranged from 41 587 to 396 515, and the number of cases ranged from 115 to 1781. Eligible and ineligible participants across the models were largely comparable. Calibration of the models, where assessable, was very good and further improved by recalibration. The C-statistics of the models were largely similar between validation cohorts with the highest values achieved being 0.70 (95% CI 0.68 to 0.72) in the UK Biobank and 0.71 (95% CI 0.67 to 0.74) in EPIC.CONCLUSION: Several of these non-invasive models exhibited good calibration and discrimination within both external validation populations and are therefore potentially suitable candidates for the facilitation of risk stratification in population-based colorectal screening programmes. Future work should both evaluate this potential, through modelling and impact studies, and ascertain if further enhancement in their performance can be obtained.
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| 41. |
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| 42. |
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| 43. |
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| 44. |
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| 45. |
- Anselmo, Ana Sofia, 1980-, et al.
(författare)
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Tuning the Vertical Phase Separation in Polyfluorene: Fullerene Blend Films by Polymer Functionalization
- 2011
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Ingår i: Chemistry of Materials. - Washington : American Chemical Society (ACS). - 1520-5002 .- 0897-4756. ; 23:9, s. 2295-2302
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Achieving control over the nanomorphology of blend films of the fullerene derivative [6,6]-phenyl C61-butyric acid methyl ester, PCBM, with light-absorbing conjugated polymers is an important challenge in the development of efficient solution-processed photovoltaics. Here, three new polyfluorene copolymers are presented, tailored for enhanced miscibility with the fullerene through the introduction of polymer segments with modified side chains, which enhance the polymer's polar character. The composition of the spincoated polymer:PCBM films is analyzed with dynamic secondary ion mass spectrometry (dSIMS). The dSIMS depth profiles demonstrate compositional variations perpendicular to the surface plane, as a result of vertical phase separation, directed by the substrate. These variations propagate to a higher degree through the film for the polymers with a larger fraction of modified side chains. The surface composition of the films is studied by Near-edge X-ray absorption fine structure spectroscopy (NEXAFS). Quantitative analysis of the NEXAFS spectra through a linear combination fit with the spectra of the pure components yields the surface composition. The resulting blend ratios reveal polymer-enrichment of the film surface for all three blends, which also becomes stronger as the polar character of the polymer increases. Comparison of the NEXAFS spectra collected with two different sampling depths shows that the vertical composition gradient builds up already in the first nanometers underneath the surface of the films. The results obtained with this new series of polymers shed light on the onset of formation of lamellar structures in thin polymer:PCBM films prepared from highly volatile solvents.
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| 46. |
- Arat, S, et al.
(författare)
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Determinants of illness perceptions in adults with acute or chronic somatic diseases: a systematic review
- 2015
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Ingår i: Association for Researchers in Psychology and Health. 5-6 February 2015. Ghent, Belgium..
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Konferensbidrag (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Background: In order to understand and respond to difficulties presented by disease, patients construct their own “common sense” cognitive illness model. This mental construction is assumed to be influenced by characteristics of the particular disease, the individual and collective experience. In this systematic review we aim to provide an overview on the determinants of illness perceptions in patients with acute or chronic somatic conditions. Methods: Five electronic databases (Medline, PsycInfo, Cinahl, Embase, Invert) and a grey literature register (Open Grey) were systematically searched. Subsequently, backward citation tracking of the eligible papers was conducted. Searches were limited to articles in English, Dutch, French and German published between January 1980 and December 2012. Two reviewers independently selected studies for inclusion and assessed the methodological quality with validated checklists. Findings: Thirty-one papers (23 quantitative and 8 qualitative studies) fulfilled the inclusion criteria. The determinants found were culture (n=14), gender (n=5), illness experience (n=5), personality (n=4), depressive symptoms/depression (n=2), age (n=1), disability (n=1), physical functioning (n=1), illness severity (n=1), information source and coping style (n=1). These studies were carried out in different patient populations, settings and countries. All determinants were correlated with illness perceptions except for ‘culture’. Inequalities in educational level explained more the variance in illness perceptions than culture per se. Discussion: This review provides an exhaustive overview of all determinants of illness perceptions currently available in the international literature. Knowledge of these determinants could facilitate comprehension of patients’ illness perceptions, enhances patient-provider communication and can be useful in developing effective interventions to alter dysfunctional illness perceptions.
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| 47. |
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| 48. |
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| 49. |
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| 50. |
- Budkowski, Andrzej, et al.
(författare)
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Structures in multi-component polymer films : their formation, observation and applications in electronics and biotechnology
- 2009
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Ingår i: Acta Physica Polonica. A. - Warsaw : Polish Academy of Sciences, Institute of Physics. - 0587-4246 .- 1898-794X. ; 115:2, s. 435-440
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Several strategies to form multicomponent films of functional polymers, with micron, submicron and nanometer structures, intended for plastic electronics and biotechnology are presented. These approaches are based on film deposition from polymer solution onto a rotating substrate (spin-casting), a method implemented already on manufacturing lines. Film structures are determined with compositional (nanometer) depth profiling and (submicron) imaging modes of dynamic secondary ion mass spectrometry, near-field scanning optical microscopy (with submicron resolution) and scanning probe microscopy (revealing nanometer features). Self-organization of spin-cast polymer mixtures is discussed in detail, since it o®ers a one-step process to deposit and align simultaneously domains, rich in di®erent polymers, forming various device elements: (i) Surface segregation drives self-stratification of nanometer lamellae for solar cells and anisotropic conductors. (ii) Cohesion energy density controls morphological transition from lamellar (optimal for encapsulated transistors) to lateral structures (suggested for light emitting diodes with variable color). (iii) Selective adhesion to substrate microtemplates, patterned chemically, orders lateral structures for plastic circuitries. (iv) Submicron imprints of water droplets (breath figures) decorate selectively micron-sized domains, and can be used in devices with hierarchic structure. In addition, selective protein adsorption to regular polymer micropatterns, formed with soft lithography after spin-casting, suggests applications in protein chip technology. An approach to reduce lateral blend film structures to submicron scale is also presented, based on (annealed) films of multicomponent nanoparticles
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